September 12, 2024
Science recently published an article featuring Shulamit Kahn, Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, and Megan MacGarvie, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, discussing the significant disparities faced by international postdocs in the U.S. compared to their U.S.-educated counterparts.
Research indicates that postdocs with temporary visas in the U.S. receive lower pay and less career support compared to their U.S. citizen and permanent resident counterparts. Despite these challenges, international postdocs are outstanding researchers who contribute invaluable expertise and resources to the academic community.
“There’s a lot of data on people with U.S. degrees, but there is very little data on [postdocs] who come with foreign degrees. It’s a kind of a black box,” Kahn adds.
Systemic changes are needed to better support the significant contributions of international postdocs to U.S. research.